Any registered political party or any political party that registers on or before the deadline for filing candidacies for elective offices, that has a candidate for Governor and any independent candidate for Governor who have been certified by the State Election Commission to participate in the general election for which participation in the Fund is requested shall be eligible to benefit from the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures. The party shall have and keep one candidate for Governor who may not be the candidate of another political party benefiting from the Special Fund in the same general election. Failure to meet this requirement or the withdrawal of the candidate benefiting from the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures shall render the party and the candidate severally liable to return the funds received. In order to benefit from the Special Fund for Campaign Expenditures, the President or the Secretary of the political party, or the independent candidate for Governor, if it were the case, shall submit a sworn application to the Election Comptroller. The sworn certification shall be received at the Office of the Election Comptroller within fifteen (15) days after the

it were the case, shall submit a sworn application to the Election Comptroller. The sworn certification shall be received at the Office of the Election Comptroller within fifteen (15) days after the date on which the State Election Commission certifies such candidacy for Governor. This term shall be strictly observed. Not later than the business day following the receipt of the sworn application in his/her office, the Election Comptroller shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury that this requirement has been met. Once certified, the fund matching may begin. The option to benefit from the Fund shall be final and binding and may not be revoked for such general election. History —Nov. 18, 2011, No. 222, § 10.002; July 3, 2012, No. 135, § 28; renumbered as § 9.002 and amended on Dec. 19, 2014, No. 233, § 66.